Ecclesiastes 5:18

KJV1611 – Modern English

Behold, what I have seen: it is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him; for it is his portion.

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

    Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and enables them to enjoy it, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

    Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    Behold, that which I have seen{H7200} to be good{H2896} and to be comely{H3303} is for one to eat{H398} and to drink,{H8354} and to enjoy{H7200} good{H2896} in all his labor,{H5999} wherein he laboreth{H5998} under the sun,{H8121} all{H4557} the days{H3117} of his life{H2416} which God{H430} hath given{H5414} him: for this is his portion.{H2506}

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    Behold that which I have seen{H7200}{(H8804)}: it is good{H2896} and comely{H3303} for one to eat{H398}{(H8800)} and to drink{H8354}{(H8800)}, and to enjoy{H7200}{(H8800)} the good{H2896} of all his labour{H5999} that he taketh{H5998}{(H8799)} under the sun{H8121} all{H4557} the days{H3117} of his life{H2416}, which God{H430} giveth{H5414}{(H8804)} him: for it is his portion{H2506}.

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    Therfore me thinke it a better and a fayrer thinge, a man to eate and drynke, and to be refreshed of all his laboure, yt he taketh vnder the Sonne all the dayes of his life which God geueth him, for this is his porcion.

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    (5:17) Beholde then, what I haue seene good, that it is comely to eate, and to drinke, and to take pleasure in all his labour, wherein he traueileth vnder the sunne, the whole nomber of the dayes of his life, which God giueth him: for this is his portion.

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    Therfore me thinke it a better and a fayrer thyng, a man to eate and drynke, and to be refresshed of all his labour that he taketh vnder the sunne, all the dayes of his lyfe which God geueth him: for this is his portion.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    ¶ Behold [that] which I have seen: [it is] good and comely [for one] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    Lo, that which I have seen: `It is' good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one's labour that he laboureth at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God hath given to him, for it `is' his portion.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    Every man to whom God has given money and wealth and the power to have pleasure in it and to do his part and have joy in his work: this is given by God.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labor I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward.

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 2:10 : 10 And whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor.
  • Eccl 2:24 : 24 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.
  • Eccl 3:22 : 22 Therefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?
  • Eccl 8:15 : 15 So I commended joy, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun.
  • Eccl 3:12-13 : 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives. 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.
  • Eccl 9:7 : 7 Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God now accepts your works.
  • Eccl 11:9 : 9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes — but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
  • Jer 52:34 : 34 And for his diet, there was a regular portion given to him by the king of Babylon, daily a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.
  • 1 Tim 6:17 : 17 Charge those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy;

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 3:9-13
    5 verses
    87%

    9 What profit does he have who works in that which he labors?

    10 I have seen the task which God has given to the sons of men to be occupied with.

    11 He has made everything beautiful in its time: also he has set eternity in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God does from the beginning to the end.

    12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives.

    13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.

  • Eccl 2:17-26
    10 verses
    87%

    17 Therefore I hated life, because the work that was done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

    18 Yes, I hated all my labor that I had labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

    19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I have labored and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

    20 Therefore I turned my heart to despair over all the labor which I had done under the sun.

    21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet he must leave his inheritance to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

    22 For what has man from all his labor, and of the striving of his heart with which he has labored under the sun?

    23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work is burdensome; even at night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

    24 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.

    25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?

    26 For God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to the man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and collecting, only to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 5:19-20
    2 verses
    87%

    19 Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, to receive his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

    20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

  • Eccl 8:14-17
    4 verses
    86%

    14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

    15 So I commended joy, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun.

    16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the work that is done upon the earth (for there are those who neither day nor night see sleep with their eyes),

    17 Then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors to seek it out, he shall not find it; moreover, though a wise man thinks to know it, he shall not be able to find it.

  • Eccl 3:22
    81%

    22 Therefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?

  • Eccl 5:16-17
    2 verses
    80%

    16 And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit has he who has labored for the wind?

    17 All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

  • Eccl 2:10-11
    2 verses
    80%

    10 And whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor.

    11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor I had toiled to do; and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

  • Eccl 9:9-10
    2 verses
    78%

    9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity: for that is your portion in this life and in your labor which you take under the sun.

    10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave where you go.

  • Eccl 9:7
    77%

    7 Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God now accepts your works.

  • Eccl 6:7
    76%

    7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his appetite is not satisfied.

  • Eccl 1:3
    76%

    3 What profit does a man have from all his labor which he does under the sun?

  • Eccl 6:12
    75%

    12 For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

  • Eccl 11:7-9
    3 verses
    75%

    7 Truly the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun.

    8 But if a man lives many years, and rejoices in them all, let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is vanity.

    9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes — but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

  • Eccl 5:11-12
    2 verses
    74%

    11 When goods increase, they who eat them increase, and what good is there to the owners, except the beholding of them with their eyes?

    12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

  • Eccl 6:1-2
    2 verses
    74%

    1 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

    2 A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all he desires, yet God does not give him the power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

  • Eccl 7:14
    73%

    14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one against the other, so that man should find nothing after him.

  • Ps 128:2
    73%

    2 For you shall eat the labor of your hands; happy shall you be, and it shall be well with you.

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    73%

    3 Yes, better is he than both, who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

    4 Again, I considered all the toil and every right work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    72%

    13 And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this difficult task God has given to the children of man to be engaged with.

    14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 2:3
    72%

    3 I searched in my heart to give myself to wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what is good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.

  • Eccl 2:1
    72%

    1 I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure." And behold, this also is vanity.

  • Eccl 8:9
    72%

    9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man rules over another to his own harm.

  • Ps 104:15
    72%

    15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengthens man's heart.

  • Eccl 4:8
    72%

    8 There is one alone, without a second; yes, he has neither child nor brother, yet there is no end to all his labor, nor is his eye satisfied with riches, nor does he ask, 'For whom do I labor and deprive my soul of good?' This is also vanity, yes, it is a grievous toil.